Live Like We're Dying
by Pie for President '16
Summary: The summer of 2003 is a chaotic one for the Camden family and friends. Marriages, pregnancies, deaths and more turn everyone's world upside down. In Progress. REVIEW! *rawrs ferociously*
1. Chapter 1

Its been seven years, and I've never wrote a post-season seven fic. I lurked when they were the craze and when I signed up they'd already died out a bit. Some time later, Marthie became big, Simon became a manwhore, and a lot more that closed the doors on those fics dated 2002-2004. :( Well, Simon was a man-whore before, here and there... But that's for another time.

Now it's time for my post-season 7 story. This is just the introduction. We pick up seconds from where the season closed.

* * *

Lucy Kinkirk picked the pregnancy test off the bathroom sink and took a deep breath before looking down at the result.

_Not pregnant_.

The woman let out a breath and stuffed the test back into the box from which it came before leaving the bathroom to sit on her bed in a daze.

Wow, so she wasn't pregnant! But this _is_ what she wanted, right? She and Kevin got married barely a month earlier, she still had two more years of school and they lived in a tiny garage apartment that wasn't anywhere big enough to raise a baby in.

At the same time, though, Lucy had already begun to get used to the idea of having a baby now. She already discussed with Mary about the possibility of her being pregnant. She had a wonderful husband: Kevin would be there for her every step of the way to give her what she wanted. Plus, she had her family literally across the yard; they would help out when needed. She already wrote down a note to remind her to sign up for summer classes.

So she was pretty much all set if the test were to say she was pregnant. But she wasn't, somewhat to her disappointment.

Lucy had no idea how much time passed before hearing footsteps approaching and her name being called.

"Luce."

She blinked and shook her head, bringing herself back to reality.

"Dad, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to keep you waiting!" Lucy apologized, reaching for her purse and stood up.

"It's ok." There was a pause that Lucy missed. "There's been a change of plans."

"Wh- what happened?" Lucy asked, stopping in her tracks.

Eric sighed deeply and Lucy just noticed the somber and anxious face he wore.

"There's been an accident."

Lucy gaped and shook her head.

"Kevin, Simon, Christine, Ruthie and Peter were in the car."

"No." Lucy whispered, feeling growing tears stinging her eyelids.

"We have to get to the hospital."

"Do you know if...?"

The Reverend knew what his daughter left unsaid, and he knew the answer to the unasked question.

"Come on, Luce. Let's go."

"Wait! What about mom and the boys? And Mary? And Matt!"

"They'll meet us there."

Lucy nodded in complete shock as the two left the small apartment.


	2. Chapter 2

It ends pretty abruptly, but don't worry. I'm sorry for not updating this in three years! 

* * *

The haze slowly dissolved and light filtered through Ruthie's eyelids as she regained consciousness. She opened her eyes, but was blinded by an unwelcoming bright light overhead.

Ruthie quickly squeezed her eyes shut and tried to move. When she tried to move her arms, she found she wasn't able to move her left arm, it felt like there was a ton of rock laying upon it.

"What's going on?" The thirteen year old thought to herself.

After a couple minutes, Ruthie tried opening her eyes again, blinking several times once her pupils adjusted to the intruding light. She slowly turned her head to take in her surroundings.

Everything was a blur. The young teenager could barely make out the room, and noticed there was a dim natural light filtering through what had to be a window. She could see a figure not too far from her.

Ruthie tried using her voice, but found she couldn't. There was something blocking her airway.

Instead of continuing her attempt to speak, Ruthie moved her right arm towards the figure.

"Ruthie?"

_Mom_. Ruthie wanted to say, but she knew she was unable to speak. She could hear something moving, a chair perhaps, and her mother's face came into view a few seconds later. Ruthie noted her mother's face was stained red from crying and her eyes were blood-shot most likely due to lack of sleep.

Ruthie could feel her mother's hand running through her hair. There was so much the girl wanted to ask: what happened? Why was her arm feeling like it weighed a ton? Why couldn't she speak? Where was she?

She began moving her eyes around the room, but everything seemed to be a blur and it only made her feel nauseous and dizzy.

"I've been so worried. The doctors didn't know how long it'd be before you woke up."

Ruthie scrunched her brows and gazed at her mother, making a noise that was supposed to be "What happened?".

"Don't speak, sweetie, you have a breathing tube down your throat. That car accident really scared your father and I. We've been worried about you for a week now."

_Car accident_? Ruthie thought. _What car accident?_

Roxanne watched on as Lucy sat silently, looking straight ahead. She felt awful for her friend, losing her husband just a month after getting married. It scared her, to be honest. Even though the cause of Kevin's death didn't have anything to do with his job, she still worried that she might get fatally wounded on the job, leaving her new fiancé alone.

The woman didn't know what to do, she tried everything when it came to Lucy. Nothing worked, Lucy wouldn't look at her or talk to her. She remained holed up in the garage apartment, and Roxanne was the only one allowed to visit. According to the Camdens, Lucy threw a fit when one of her family members tried to visit.

"Lucy, I- I should get going. If you need anything, you know how to reach me." Roxanne said, standing up from the little table. She knew Lucy wouldn't call her, Roxanne had said the same thing every visit before leaving since the accident and Lucy never called.

The only response she got from Lucy was a nod. Roxanne let out a sigh and left. Once she was out in her car, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Chandler Hampton here." The voice of her fiancé spoke through the line.

"Hey, it's me."

"Oh, hey, are we still on for tonight?"

"Well, I was thinking of running away." Roxanne smirked. She knew Chandler was raising his brows.

"Run- run away?" Chandler stammered.

"You and I, let's get married. Tonight!"

"Whoa, married tonight? Roxanne, what happened? Do you need me to come see you?"

Roxanne laughed and shook her head, although she knew her fiancé couldn't see it.

"No, I'm perfectly fine! I'm more than fine! I'm ready to spend the rest of my life with you, and I want it to begin tonight."

"What brought this on, Roxanne?"

"After everything that's happened with the Camdens in the past week and your dad on his deathbed, I don't know… I realize life is too short, I don't want to have missed opportunities or regrets."

Roxanne heard Chandler let out a sigh.

"You are right, but-"

"No buts!" Roxanne interrupted. "Come on, I'll pick you up and drive to the next town over. They have a twenty-four hour wedding chapel."

"Fine, but will you let me write my vows first?"

"Sure, whatever. I'll be there in an hour. I have to get ready."

"I love you, Roxanne."

"Love you too. Bye!" With that, Roxanne hung up her phone and began the car.

"Matt, I have something to tell you." Sarah Glass told her husband. Matt had just flown in to Florida, he had to get away from the turmoil. He wanted to be with his _other_family, the Glasses.

"What is it?" Matt spoke softly, brushing Sarah's bushy hair back.

"Remember how I told you I took all those pregnancy tests and they were all positive?"

Matt nodded, gazing into Sarah's eyes.

"Then I told you I got my period?"

"Yeah, where are you going with this? Don't tell me you had an abortion."

Sarah pulled away from Matt, glaring at him.

"Matt, how _dare_ you even say that? I would never, _ever_harm our child! Yes, we may be going into our second year of medical school, but as much as I'd love to be a doctor, I want to be a mother even more. Ugh!" Sarah stood and made to walk away, but Matt grabbed her wrist.

"Sarah, I'm sorry. Come back, what were you trying to tell me?"

Sarah crossed her arms and stood in a defiant posture.

"Why would I tell you _now_? You think I'd murder our own child!"

"Sarah…"

"Matt. I- I'm pregnant. I only took one test, but I was trying to test you, see how you'd react. Then I figured, if I told you I got my period, I know how you'd really felt about having a baby at this point in our lives."

Matt stood and put his hands on Sarah's cheeks.

"Sarah, why do you always feel the need to test me? You should always, _always_, be honest and straightforward."

"I don't know, Matt. That's why I came to Florida, I was just too shocked to see you or deal with your family. I had to talk to my cousins and aunt. To be honest, I was considering getting an abortion."

"Well, I'm ready to start a family, whether we're in our second year of school or we've already started our own practice."

"Really, Matt? You're sure about this?" Sarah asked uncertainly.

"Yes." Matt smiled and kissed Sarah.


End file.
